


Trees

by fairlylocaldreamer



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 13:38:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19465123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairlylocaldreamer/pseuds/fairlylocaldreamer
Summary: "I used to go into the forest and scream,'is there anybody out there?'And I don't know if I was waiting for an answer."





	Trees

The air was humid, tasting like earth and rain and pine needles. His feet dragged him aimlessly, tripping over roots and snapping twigs as he walked in circles, his eyes trained on the sky. It was nearing dusk and Tyler was waiting for darkness to finally fall. Then he would be left alone.

When he reached the tree he was looking for, he began to climb. One foot over the other, hands gripping branches to haul his body weight up and off the ground. He didn't go as high as he normally would. He was still tired after so much wandering, his legs still burning. So he just sat on one of the lower branches, watching his feet dangle a good ten feet off the ground.

_Is there anybody out there?_

It seemed as though the words were still reverbing through the trees, bouncing off of him in silent waves of imploration for an answer. He gripped the branch beneath him and screwed his eyes shut tight, listening for a whisper, a murmur, something other than the whistle of lonely birds and swaying of the branches above his head. He wanted an answer.

If he stayed perfectly still, he could almost hear voices. So many voices, screaming in green and blue and white. If he waited, he could hear drums, a pounding rhythm more powerful than any heartbreak, but hearts beating just as loud. He could hear piano chords, the smooth transitions, the inexplicable feeling of being vulnerable in front of strangers and feeling at home all the while. 

_I want to know you._

_I want to see._

_I want to say_

_Hello._

And when he opened his eyes, it was all gone.

_Why won't you speak?_

A cry of frustration slipped past his lips and his fingers curled into his palms, ripping off tree bark and leaving crescent moons on the soft skin of his hand. And as the setting sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon, Tyler let himself cry. He let himself scream, choking on sobs and unfinished sentence fragments as his tiny frame shook, consumed by a suffocation of helplessness and unanswered prayers. He screamed at the stars, cursing his God and his faith and everything he wanted to believe in but couldn't quite yet. He screamed because he didn't know who he was or where he was going. Because he felt alone surrounded by people, because darkness surrounded him in plain daylight. He screamed because he was silent, because he couldn't find a voice.

Tyler stayed in the tree for a long, long time. After his voice had left him, after his tears had run dry. He stayed and waited for an answer.

 _Silent, in the trees_.

**Author's Note:**

> another fic based off a song. whoops.
> 
> I have a tumbler now! You can find me there at fairly--local-dreamer. Send me questions, requests, whatever. Let's hang out!  
> Thanks for reading! Leave kudos or comments if you want, and have a great day/night/whatever. Stay street my dudes.


End file.
